This invention relates to a ceramic wound treatment device and to a method of treating a wound using such device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,830 discloses a surgical dressing comprising impermeable high silica glass microparticles. The particles are applied directly to the wound. A disadvantage of the surgical dressing is that it is saturated relatively easily, so that a substantial amount of microparticles have to be applied to a wound to have a desirable effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,746 discloses a covering for wounds comprising a permeable web, which remains flexible during use. The web is made up from a plurality of individually shaped elements connected by connecting members into a network, and having, at least on the surface, a layer of ceramic or glass. Alternatively, the covering comprises a base, such as a mat, web or fabric, provided with a glass or ceramic layer. Column 3 lines 14 to 16 of the specification states that xe2x80x9cThe bodies or elements may be liquid impermeable or they may be porous, and they can suitably be made of a bioinert material, such as aluminium oxide (Al2O3).xe2x80x9d It is therefore clear that the porosity of the elements is not an essential feature of the invention disclosed in that specification and that impermeable glass particles work equally well.
A disadvantage of a covering of this type is that it is relatively expensive and difficult to manufacture. Particularly, it is onerous to shape the individual particles and to link the particles together.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a ceramic wound treatment device and a method of treating a wound using such device with which the aforesaid disadvantages can be overcome or at least minimised and to provide an effective alternative wound treatment device to conventional wound dressings.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a wound treatment device comprising a plurality of separate porous ceramic particles.
The particles may be contained in a permeable container.
The container may comprise a tea-bag type envelope. Preferably the envelope is of Vilene(trademark).
The ceramic particles may be inert.
The ceramic particles may have a porosity of between 25% and 85%, preferably 75%.
The pores of the particles may have diameters in the range of between 0.3 to 30 micrometers.
The pores may be cellular in nature.
The pores may be interconnected by blow-holes.
The arrangement may be such that the pores of the ceramic particles apply a capillary suction force to the wound area, thus continuously draining fluid from the area.
The particles may be manufactured by pulverising an inert microporous ceramic body and removing fine powder from the particles.
The particles may have a diameter range of between 45 and 300 micrometers.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of treating a wound, the method including the steps of applying to such wound a ceramic wound treatment device as hereinbefore described.